Quality of Life - Above Average
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6/17/2007
I have lived in or near Fayetteville for 20+ years. In fact, I just returned to Fayetteville in 2006 after living in Winston-Salem, NC (an absolutely wonderful city!). Fayetteville definitely has good points and some bad ones. Don't listen to the judgements of people who have lived just one year. That's not enough time to learn the entire metropolitan area which covers nearly 3 counties!
Fayetteville has made great strides in the past 5 years and it's outlook continues to improve. It has been mentioned in Forbes magazine and other financial magazines as an up and coming city. Unfortunately, most of the economy is tied up with the military. That means when the soldiers are deployed, many businesses are hurt terribly.
Living in Fayetteville puts you with 2 hours of the beach and 1.5 hours from Raleigh. You can enjoy lots of recreation nearby if you are willing to drive to it. You can be in Myrtle Beach or Wilmington w/o any problem at all. The mountains are a bit of a drive however. Also there are plenty of bike trails, rivers and lakes within 15 minutes of nearly any home in Cumberland County. You can be golfing at Pinehurst with 45 minutes of Fayetteville also! So if anyone thinks there isn't anything to do maybe he/she needs to do a little research!
Also, if you are buying a home, get a good realtor who has lived here for 5+ years. They know the good areas. You don't have to live in a ghetto to have a nice home. There are areas of Fayetteville where homes selling for $140K are within walking distance of homes costing over $500K and the neighbors speak to each other and wave greetings every day!
I have lived in nicer areas over the years and have stayed in many that are much worse. People move to Fayetteville every month and stay here until they pass away. You can be happy nearly anywhere in life, it's just a matter of being open-minded.
Good points
Decent schools and some are excellent! Check the North Carolina school system report cards.
Short commutes
Multiracial communities (very important!)
Improved downtown area
Friendly people
Affordable housing in good neighborhoods
Low unemployment
Good restaurants
Good mall and shopping
Beautiful weather - no snow - little ice - nice and hot!
Strong arts and crafts community
Excellent local newspaper - Fayetteville Observer - Pick it up and read it every day for your 1st 2 months! Then you'll know what's happening!
Many nearby communities still maintain a small-t
Stewart | Fayetteville, NC